Jordan China

The place of Jordan
Jordan
Source: http:worldmapslpolitical.htm (accessed 7th July 2009)
China
The place of Jordan
Jordan as part of Bilad al Sham
until 1921 (The Levant)
Jordan as an ‘independent’ political entity
(part of the Middle East)
Source: http://worldmapslpolitical.htm (accessed 7th July
2009)
Source: http://worldmapslpolitical.htm (accessed 7th July 2009)
The place of Jordan
The political map of Jordan as was identified in 1921 &1965
(source: http://.ordanmap/political; accessed 20 October 2008)
The time span of Jordan
Jordan: the depth of time and place
Ancient past
+50,000 BC
15th century
BC
Biblical
Classical
& Byzantine
3rd century
BC
7th century
AD
Islamic
Present time
1921
The time span of Jordan
Ancient past
50,000 BC
Biblical
Classical
Islamic
Present time
15th century
BC
Ain Ghazal One of the first farmer settlements
in the world (Paleolithic period).
General view of the site in 1982
One of the excavated rooms 1985
(courtesy of Gary Rolefson)
The time span of Jordan
Ancient past
+50,000 BC
15th century
BC
Biblical
Classical
3rd century
BC
Aaron Tomb (source: http://biblicaljordan/aarontob)
7th century
AD
Islamic
Present time
1921
Mount Nebo (source: http://biblicaljordan/nebo)
The time span of Jordan
Ancient past
+50,000 BC
Biblical
15th century
BC
Classical
& Byzantine
3rd century
BC
The Roman City of Jerash
the researcher
The(Source:
Greek
City of2005)
Jadara (Umm Qais)
(Source: the researcher 2005)
Islamic
7th century
AD
Present time
1921
The Nabatean Petra (WHS 1985)
(Source: the researcher 2006)
The time span of Jordan
Ancient past
+50,000 BC
15th century
BC
Biblical
Classical
& Byzantine
3rd century
BC
Mosaic floor at Umm al Rassas (WHS 2004)
Source: http://www.atlastours.net/jordan/st_stephen_mosaic.jpg
7th century
AD
Islamic
Present time
1921
The Madaba Map (also known as the
Madaba Mosaic Map) is part of a floor
mosaic in the early Byzantine church of
Saint George at Madaba.
The time span of Jordan
Ancient past
+50,000 BC
Biblical
15th century
BC
Classical
& Byzantine
3rd century
BC
Islamic
7th century
AD
The Baptism site/ River Jordan
Source: http://www.sacred-destinations.com/jordan/bethany-baptism-sitephotos/jordan-river-baptism-site-cc-Cybjorg.jpg
Present time
1921
The time span of Jordan
Ancient past
+50,000 BC
Biblical
15th century
BC
Classical
3rd century
BC
Islamic
7th century
AD
Qusair Amra (WHS 1985)
(Source: the researcher 2005)
Al Mushatta palace
(Source: the researcher 2005)
Present time
1921
The time span of Jordan
Ancient past
+50,000 BC
15th century
BC
Biblical
Classical
3rd century
BC
Reusing Greek Stone in an Uttoman
Village (source: researcher 2001)
7th century
AD
Islamic
Present time
1921
The deserted Uttoman village of Umm
Qais (source: researcher 2005)
The time span of Jordan
Ancient past
+50,000 BC
15th century
BC
Biblical
Classical
3rd century
BC
7th century
AD
Islamic
Present time
1921
Le Royal Hotel/ Amman
dominating the urban fabric of the
city
Amman; the capital of Jordan
The first approach to the past
Excavations and surveys during the colonial period
Source:
http://www.gerty.ncl.ac.uk/photos/Q_220.htm
A Western archaeologist and a local worker in Iraq in 1911
(adopted from htpp://www.gerty.ncl.ac.uk/, Album q, photo no. 218)
Source: http://www.cemml.colostate.edu/cultural/09476/images/iraqsites-611-172.jpg
The Government’s approach to the past: Marginalising a past and highlighting
another
► The Classical past was highlighted
because “it sells” (MoTA spokesman:
2003). Also, it is a ‘neutral’ heritage
(DoA member staff: 2003).
WHS 2003
WHS 1985
► Although it is a WHS since 1985,
Qusair Amra was absent from the Map!.
►Every effort is made to distance Jordan
from things Islamic and from the
particular fragrance of danger they seem
to carry [in order to create] a landscape
as free as possible of any hint of threat or
discomfort.
►Jordan is alienating itself from its
Arab and Islamic culture to be
identified with the West.
Source: http://www.tourism.jo/Inside/Map.asp
Jordan as presented by MoTA to the
World
Jordan as represented in the Ministry of Tourism and Antiquities brochures;
source: (http://www.tourism.jo/Home/index.htm accessed 5th March 2007).
The Arab world as presented by the
orientalists to the West
An orientalist’s painting for an Arab woman dated to 1860 ; source:
(alloilpaint.com/orientalist/p1.htm accessed 7th March 2007).
The Government’s approach to the past: Displacement for ‘development’
►The Department of Antiquities of
Jordan ( DoA ) was established in 1924.
Since 1965 DoA was identified as part of
the Ministry of Tourism and Antiquities
(MoTA)
►The Law of Antiquities was established
in 1942 to protect the archaeological sites
that were dated before 1750 AD.
►The primary concern of the law was to
protect the monumental sites with
aesthetic values such as Petra, Jerash and
Umm Qais.
Petra; caves of Bdoul (the local
community of Petra)
►This meant the displacement of the
local communities in order to conserve the
sites of Petra and Umm Qais.
Umm Sayhun (the new houses of
Bdoul)
A child from Al Bdoul selling souvenirs in Petra (where
her parents used to live) and showing a note given to
her by a tourist.
The Government’s approach to the past: The ‘promise’ of development
through tourism
Petra mountains
‘New’ Taebet Zaman
Taebet Zaman Village: “a perfect location for a 5 stars hotel with special
experience” (The investor, 2008)
Taebet Zaman: Displacing the people and inventing the ‘exotic’ and the tourist
appealing hotel
Taebet Zaman the hotel
A previous resident of Taybet Zaman the Hotel, now allowed to graze his
sheep at a ‘safe’ distance from the hotel
The Government’s approach to the past: “The `wow` factor is all what
matters”! (Ahmad, 23rd year-old male from Ain Ghazal, 2008).
Ain Ghazal in 1985 by the time Wajeeh was working there (reproduced
with kind permission from Gary Rolefson)
The same area after five years (reproduced with kind permission from Gary
Rolefson)
“Sites like this do not sell! We want sites that attract tourists; beautiful
things, you know” (MoTA spokesman, 2008)
The Government’s approach to the past: “They don’t even speak our
language”! (Ali, 50 year-old male from Amman, 2008).
Only the mosaic floor was
highlighted and the rest of the
architectural element of the
Chapel were ignored.
The sign that indicates the Suwaifyyeh chapel (the researcher 2004)
Excluding the local community by writing the sign in
English (the language of the tourists). There is no other
sign for the site written in Arabic (the official and the local
language of Jordan
The Government’s approach to the past: alienating the local community
The plan is to draw the tourists
into the living city of Jerash by
establishing a souvenirs market in
it! But what about the previous
shops (the grocery store, the
baker, the shoe maker, the
butcher? Where are they leaving
to? What will happen with the
souvenirs market that is already
there?
Jerash downtown in 1995 (source: the researcher)
Jerash downtown in 2009 (source: the researcher)
Where are we heading to with our heritage in Jordan?
The Government’s approach to
cultural heritage in Jordan is:
How to mitigate the situation?
■ Money and tourism-oriented;
■ Critical engagement with the
Government’s approach;
■ Jeopardises its cultural continuity in
time and place;
■ Marginalises local communities;
■ Emphasises the ‘wow’ factor;
■ ‘Neutralises’ itself.
UNSUSTAIANBLE APPROACH.
■ Effective involvement of the local
communities in the process of
defining and approaching heritage
■ Approaching heritage not as a
commodity for tourism but as a
source of cultural identity and social
empowerment.